Several locals named to GACA all-state soccer teams

Published 12:19 pm Tuesday, June 11, 2024

The Georgia Athletic Coaches Association released its 2024 high school soccer all-state teams on Monday, and several local soccer standouts made the list of the state’s best.

First and second teams were announced for both the boys and girls sides for each classification, and some classifications also included an honorable mention list.

Dalton High players earned two spots on the boys Class 5A first team. David Saldana and Romeo Chavarria were first-teamers, while Angel Salaises was named all-state second team. Dalton’s Diego Paez received a nod as Class 5A honorable mention.

Saldana, a center midfielder, led Dalton in goals and assists with 13 apiece in 2024. Chavarria helped anchor the Dalton defense, while Salaises put in 10 goals and had six assists from his wing spot. Paez, a winger, had six goals and five assists.

Northwest Whitfield and Southeast Whitfield were both represented on the boys Class 4A all-state first team. Goalkeeper Victor Cordoba was named to the team from Southeast, while Northwest’s Matthew Molina received a first team nod. Southeast Joseph Pina was recognized as all-state honorable mention.

Cordoba led a six-game shutout streak during the 2024 season for Southeast. Molina, a midfielder, had 17 goals and eight assists as a senior. Pina, a winger for the Raiders, led the team with 14 goals and 14 assists despite missing the first four games of the year.

On the girls Class 4A all-state teams, Northwest boasted two members of the first team and a second-teamer. Sadie Clark and Sophia Hargis were named to the first team, and Meryl Clark received the second team nod.

Sadie Clark, a striker, piled up 24 goals and had 12 assists. Hargis, a centerback, piloted a strong defensive backline that tallied eight shutouts on the season. Meryl Clark had 22 goals and 15 assists from her spot in the midfield.

In Class 3A, Coahulla Creek’s Miguel Arredondo was named to the boys all-state second team, while Omar Mendiola represented the Colts on the honorable mention list.

Arredondo had 16 goals and 17 assists for the Colts in the 2024 season. Mendiola led Creek with 17 goals and added six assists.

Murray County placed a second teamer and a member of the honorable mention list in the boys Class 2A all-state teams. Jakob Hendrickson was named all-state second team, while Seth Hendrickson received an honorable mention nod. The Hendricksons helped anchor a Murray defense that pitched four shutouts, Jakob from goal and Seth as a defender.

Christian Heritage School’s Carson Russell was named to the Class A DII boys first team, while his Lion teammate, Luis Salinas, was named to the all-state second team in the classification.

Russell, who played at midfielder and forward, had 24 goals in the 2024 season, including a school-record seven goals in one game. Salinas, a freshman winger, had one goal and two assists.

Dalton Academy’s Joe Gonzalez was named to the boys Class A DI all-state first team. Gonzalez racked up 33 goals and 19 assists from his spot as a midfielder.

Dalton Academy’s Guadalupe Mena, a midfielder, is a girls Class A DI all-state second-teamer.